Family Crisis
by LindaLeeB
Summary: Jesse calls 911 and asks for Commander McGarrett. Follow-on to 'Family Ties'. Tenth in the series.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.

Family Crisis

October 2020

Three weeks passed since Jack questioned Steve and Danny about his mother. It was a very busy time for Five-0. The men never got the opportunity to talk to the family counselor. Jack seemed satisfied with Steve and Danny's explanations, so maybe it wasn't on the top of their list of 'Things We Need to Do Now'.

Unfortunately, Jesse fell through cracks too. That was a critical mistake. Late one Friday night, Steve's cell phone went off. A glance at the caller ID told Steve that HPD dispatch was calling. "McGarrett here. What have you got for me?"

"Commander McGarrett, we have a little boy calling in on 911. He says he knows you and your son and is asking for you. The operator can hear someone yelling in the background. We've sent a unit to the address, but I thought you would want to respond also."

"Give me the information." Steve shook Danny awake and turned on the light to take down the address. When dispatch told Steve that the caller was Jesse Wright, a chill went through him. Steve assured the operator that he would be there shortly.

"What's going on?" Danny was already getting dressed and calling Rachel. They would drop Jack off on their way out.

"Jack's friend Jesse called 911. He's asking for us." Steve finished dressing while Danny roused Jack. He had extra clothes at the Edwards' house, so Danny just put some slippers and a light robe on Jack.

Rachel had the gate open and was waiting at the front door for Jack. She took the still sleeping boy from Danny so that the men could be on their way quickly. The Wright's lived only a couple of miles from Stan and Rachel's house, but the drive seemed much longer.

HPD was inside the house when the Camaro pulled up to Jesse's house. Danny called for an update on the situation and was informed that there were two dead bodies on the scene. A man and woman had gunshot wounds in what seemed to be a murder-suicide. The man shot the woman in the chest before turning the gun to his head. There was no sign of the little boy.

The officers were regular members of the workout group that Steve still mentored. Steve nodded to the senior patrolman. "Have you searched the house?"

"Yes sir. My partner and I found the woman in the kitchen. The man is in the master bathroom. The boy's bed has been slept in, but we haven't been able to locate him."

"Thanks, Tom. Jesse and Jack are good friends, and he knows us. Hopefully, he'll come to us."

Steve and Danny went to the second floor. "Jesse played hide and seek in the house with Jack and me one Sunday when you took Grace to the symphony. I advised Jesse to seek higher ground if he ever really needed to hide. Let's start in his room. We're looking for a high shelf in a closet, or maybe access to the attic."

Steve and Danny turned on lights as they made their way through the bedrooms and bathrooms. They gave the master bathroom a pass to avoid disturbing the crime scene there. Steve spoke calmly as they searched the area. "Jesse, it's Steve and Danno, Jack's dads. You asked me to come help you. Can you tell us where you are?"

At the end of the hall, they found a chain hanging from the hatch to the access. Steve pulled the chain, and stairs unfolded down to the hall. "Danny, you stay here. I'm going up to check the attic out."

Steve slowly climbed the stairs. He paused at the top to listen for Jesse. Steve thought he heard a whimper in the corner and slowly moved his flashlight in that direction. "Come on buddy, you're safe with me. Danno's waiting in the hall for us."

Steve could see someone moving in the shadows. Slowly, Jesse was coming to him. Steve met him halfway and hugged Jesse tightly. Jesse was weeping quietly on Steve's shoulder. "I've got him, Danny."

Danny was waiting for them with a blanket. He tried to take Jesse to bundle him up, but Jesse wouldn't release his hold on Steve. Steve finally took the blanket and threw it loosely over Jesse. "Jesse, we're going down the stairs and outside. You're safe with Danno and me. Just keep your eyes closed."

An ambulance was waiting for them parked on the street in front of the house. Steve climbed in the back and sat on the gurney. He recognized the EMT's, which was no surprise. Probably every EMT on Oahu had tended to the team at one time or another. "Dave, this little guy is pretty upset. He's a friend of Jack's and he's not ready to let go. Can I hold him for transport?"

Steve knew that a trip to the emergency room was mandatory for a minor found at the scene of a crime like this. Physically, Jesse seemed to be unharmed. The emotional damage would haunt Jesse for years. Steve knew what he wanted to do. Jesse needed to be with people who knew him and loved him. Jack would be heartbroken for his friend when he found out what happened. Jack would want to help Jesse. Steve wanted that too. He was pretty sure that Danny would be on board with the idea. And the current governor was a big fan of Steve and the Five-0 team.

The ambulance pulled up to the ER and the rear doors of the rig opened. Steve climbed down with Jesse still in his arms. Jesse had stopped crying halfway to the hospital but still hiccupped a little. "Jesse, we're going into the hospital now, so the lights are going to be bright. The doctor needs to take a look at you, but I'm not letting go of you. Okay, buddy?"

Steve could feel Jesse nodding his head. To his right, he saw Danny pull up in the Camaro. He waited for Danny to catch up. Steve didn't want to make any explanations in front of Jesse. Danny could go ahead of them and smooth the way. Sure enough, it was only a couple of minutes later before a nurse led them into a darkened treatment room. The ER wasn't too busy yet for a Friday night, so a doctor would be in shortly.

Steve looked down to see that Jesse was dozing off. Steve took the opportunity to tell Danny his plan. "He needs to come home with us, at least until we can find any family. Jesse can't go to child services."

Danny was way ahead of Steve, as usual. When Steve's mother was killed, Steve was effectively orphaned. John McGarrett sent Steve and Mary away, and both suffered greatly through the years for their father's actions. Jesse's pain would be worse knowing that his father killed his mother. Danny guessed that Jesse would be dead too if he hadn't hidden away so well.

"I know. I called Rachel on the way here and filled her in. She's keeping Jack tonight. When the doctor clears Jesse, we'll take him home. We can put off CPS until tomorrow. Maybe you can call the governor and ask for a favor. I don't think you've done anything to piss him off this month."

"Thanks Danno. You read my mind."

"Well, I've had a lot of practice at it. Here comes the doc."

The ER doctor was also an acquaintance. Just like the EMTs, most of the ER doctors had treated one of the team at one time or another. Dr. Hawa had been briefed on what Jesse had been through, so his plan was to make sure the boy wasn't injured while trying not to upset him further.

"Steve, I need to check him over. Did you see any bruises or bumps?"

"No, we think Jesse hid when the trouble started. We found him hiding in the attic. We would like to take him home. Our son is a good friend, and he spends a lot of time at our house. We can't leave him."

"Well, let me take a look here." The doctor checked Jesse's heartbeat and pupils. Of course, this woke Jesse up, and he started crying again.

Steve did his best to soothe him. "Hey buddy, the doctor just needs to make sure that you're not hurt. Danny and I aren't going anywhere without you. Let's see if you have any bruises or scratches. The attic can be a scary place." Steve pulled up Jesse's pajama top, but the skin was clear of any apparent injury.

"Jesse, I'm Dr. Hawa. Does it hurt anywhere?"

"My tummy hurts. It always hurts when Daddy yells at Mommy. I think he hurt her this time."

"The police are checking that out. Did he hurt you?"

"No, I hid really good just like Commander McGarrett taught me." Talking about it seemed to calm Jesse enough so that the doctor could finish his exam. He smoothed Jesse's hair back and nodded for Danny to follow him.

"Detective Williams, the boy didn't sustain any injuries. I really should have the staff contact CPS."

"Look doc, I know the protocol, but this little boy doesn't need to go with strangers tonight. He called 911 and asked for my partner. We'll take care of the technicalities in the morning. We just need to take Jesse home now." Danny was ready to call the governor tonight if necessary, but he knew that the lateness of the hour would not work in their favor.

"All right, I'll tell the staff that I'm releasing Jesse into your custody. Keep him warm. You're a parent, so you know the drill. Try to get him to eat a little and sleep. Keep him hydrated. Your partner seems pretty adept at calming him."

Danny smiled at that. "Yeah, who knew? Our daughter, Grace, was kidnapped a few years ago. We got her back okay, but she was traumatized. Steve was able to calm her down after that too, probably because emotionally he's about the same age. This is important to him, to us."

"If his condition changes, bring him back. We hate to prescribe sedatives for kids this young, and I'm not sure that it would be helpful for now. For what it's worth, I think you and Commander McGarrett are doing a good thing here. I'll put that in writing if you need it."

"Thanks doc. Can we get out of here?"

"The nurse will be in shortly with discharge papers. Is your son at home now?"

"No, he's with family. He'll stay with them tonight. Tomorrow is soon enough to try to explain it to Jack." The men shook hands and Danny went in to give the news to Steve and Jesse.

It was almost an hour later before they made it home. It took the nurse a little longer than predicted to bring in the paperwork, and it took almost ten minutes before Steve could talk Jesse into letting go long enough for the drive home. Danny drove home while Steve sat in the back seat with Jesse. Steve hadn't been in the back seat since the Waldo incident (as Steve thought of it). The back seat seemed to have shrunk over the years, or Steve wasn't as flexible as he used to be.

It was almost 2 a.m. when Danny pulled in the driveway. Danny offered Steve a hand and tugged him out of the back seat. Jesse scrambled out after him and put his arms out for Steve. Steve picked him up and hugged him. "Jack's over at Charlie's house tonight. You can sleep with Danno and me tonight. Are you hungry? I could do with a little hot chocolate. How about you Danno?"

Danny had seen Steve do this with Grace over the years, and yet it still surprised him a little. Steve made it almost seem like any other weekend with one of Jack's friends sleeping over. Danny knew his cue. "I might be able to get some hot chocolate down. How about you Jesse?"

"Can I have marshmallows?" Yeah, that was a typical kid question.

"Do you like the little ones or the big ones. We usually save the big ones to make smores."

"Can I have a lot of the little ones?"

"Of course you can. Do we still have some of those chocolate chip bars Steve, or did you and Jack eat them all?"

"I think there may be a few left. Here we go Jesse." While the men were bantering, Danny unlocked the door and deactivated the alarm. Steve led the way to the kitchen and set Jesse on the counter. He was gratified when Jesse let go easily this time.

Steve pulled a pan out of the cabinet while Danny carried the milk and chocolate syrup over. While Steve heated the milk and whisked the syrup in, Danny convinced Jesse to make a trip to the downstairs bathroom.

By the time that Jesse and Danny came back, Steve was pouring the hot chocolate into three mugs. Steve set the mugs on the kitchen table while Danny brought the marshmallows and chocolate chip bars out. Jesse put a handful of marshmallows in his mug, and the men did the same. They sat quietly enjoying their snack until Jesse spoke up.

"Mommy was really mad at Daddy tonight."

Steve and Danny exchanged a look, and Danny nodded for Steve to take the lead. "Do you know why?"

"Daddy lost his job and couldn't find another one. He told her all our money was gone. She started crying and said some mean things. I tried not to listen. He started yelling back. After a little while, I heard a loud bang. I got scared. I got the phone from one of the other bedrooms and hid in the attic. I could hear Daddy calling for me. I was too scared to answer." Jesse started crying softly.

Steve pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped Jesse's face. "Jesse, you did good. You were smart enough to hide like I told you, and you knew to tell the person on the phone to call me. Do you have any grandparents or aunts or uncles?"

Jesse shook his head. "Mommy didn't have a daddy, and her mommy died before I was born. Daddy's mommy and daddy died when I was a baby. I don't remember them. Mommy didn't have any brothers or sisters. Daddy has a sister. She lives in Minnesota. I only met her once. She isn't married and doesn't have any kids. I don't think she liked me very much."

Steve could work with that in the morning. For now, he wanted to reassure Jesse. "I'm sure she liked you just fine. We'll see if we can find her tomorrow. Until then, Danny and I want you to stay with us. Jack will be home in the morning, and I know he'll want you to stay too. Are you finished there? I could use a little shuteye. How about you Danno?"

Jesse seemed to finally run down for the night. He let Steve clean his chocolate moustache off and carry him upstairs. Steve laid Jesse in the middle of their bed and sat with him while Danny changed into sleep clothes. Then Steve took his turn in the bathroom and changed. They decided to keep the lights on low in case Jesse woke up while it was still dark.

Steve and Danny curled around Jesse, much the same way they had with Grace and Jack over the years. Steve raked his hand through Jesse's hair. "Danno and I will be right here if you need us."

Jesse's eyes drooped briefly before closing in sleep. It had been a heartbreaking night for the little boy, and tomorrow was sure to be another tough day. For tonight, he was in good hands.


	2. Family Crisis, Part 2

Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.

_So many of you were concerned about Jesse, so I couldn't leave you hanging. No one is going to desert Jesse. Not Steve. Not Danny. Not Jack. And definitely not me._

Family Crisis, Part II

It was a rough night for Jesse, Steve and Danny. Several times, Jesse whimpered in his sleep. Either Steve or Danny would stroke his cheek or rub his back and murmur soothing words. Shortly after 6 a.m., Jesse woke up crying for his mommy. It tore the guys up to hear him, knowing that Jesse's mom would never be there for him again.

Danny sat up in bed and pulled Jesse onto his lap. Steve scooted over close to Danny so both of them could comfort Jesse. Danny imagined that they were quite a sight. Both needed a shave, and their hair was sticking up in different directions. Steve's tattoos were peeking out from the sleeves of his shirt. Some kids would have been scared of them. Instead, Jesse felt comfortable and safe. He had been in this bed before on a weekend morning after spending the night with Jack. He missed his friend this morning.

"When is Jack coming home?" Jesse was calmer now and wiping his tears away with the back of his hand.

"Jack will be home later this morning. Are you hungry? Danno will make us some of his special pancakes."

"Uh-huh. Can you make banana pancakes Danno?"

"Yes I can. Give me a few minutes to get dressed. Steve, see if you can rustle come clothes up for Jesse." Danny knew that there would be a parade of people and a lot of phone calls to make. A hot meal might make it a little less stressful.

Danny texted Rachel to let her know that they were up and asking her to call when she could talk for a few minutes. He was mixing the pancake batter when she called. Danny asked her to keep Jack for a while until someone from HPD could talk to Jesse and Steve could talk to CPS. Although he hadn't discussed it with Steve, he also asked if she and Stan could talk to Jack, Charlie, and Andy. Danny knew that Steve would want to help Jack through this, but it would mean diverting his attention from Jesse. And for now, Jesse needed their undivided attention. He knew that he could trust Rachel and Stan to handle the situation.

Steve and Jesse came downstairs a few minutes later, dressed in similar clothes. Steve found a pair of jeans that were too short on Jack and a 'Property of U.S. Navy' t-shirt for Jesse. Steve was wearing his old Navy t-shirt and jeans. Both were wearing slippers. Their faces were washed and hair combed.

With Steve and Jesse assisting, breakfast was on the table quickly. Everyone was still tired, and they ate mostly in silence. Steve knew that he needed to make some phone calls, so he sent Danny and Jesse upstairs to gather laundry. It was still the weekend, and there were chores that needed their attention. Danny lingered long enough to tell Steve that he asked Rachel to tell Jack and the boys what had happened last night.

"I know I should have checked with you babe, but Jack is going to need a little time to process what happened. Then he's going to want to help Jesse. I thought it was best for Jesse if Jack knew before he came home. Jack knows that we've got his back, but Jesse is going to need a little extra from us for a while. And I know that we can count on Rachel and Stan to take care of Jack for us."

"Danny, you did the right thing. So we're on the same page here? I want Jesse to stay with us; I want us to be his family. From what he said last night, I doubt that the aunt will object."

Danny walked over to give Steve a hard kiss. "I've been wanting to do that since I saw you holding Jesse last night. You are such a good man. I want Jesse too. I'd better get up there. I'll try to buy you enough time to make your calls."

Steve quickly called HPD to let the lead investigator in the Wright case know that Jesse was with them and would be available later for an interview. He also called the weekend number for CPS and was relieved to hear a friendly voice.

"Charlotte, it's Steve McGarrett. I don't know if your office has been notified yet, but Danny and I have the little boy from the Wright case. He's a friend of Jack's, and he asked for me when he called 911 last night."

"Steve, I'm just putting the case file together now. The officers at the scene noted in their report that you accompanied him to the hospital. It took a little longer before the ER would tell me where he went after discharge. By then, I guessed that you had him. Is Five-0 handling the case?"

"No, it's pretty straight forward, if a tragedy like this could be called that. We're only involved because of Jesse. Charlotte, what do we have to do to keep him here? He can't go to a group home or even a foster family. He's been through just about the worst thing a kid can endure. We can't leave him with strangers."

"Steve, it's against SOP, but I think that I can swing it. You already have childcare set up for Jack when you and Danny are working. Will having an additional child be a problem for your providers?"

"I'm sure that it won't, but I'll call them later to make sure. Will you come by this morning for your initial interview? I suspect that HPD will be by later to talk to him. You want to be present for that too."

"Will there be some of your muffins and coffee?"

Steve breathed a sigh of relief. Charlotte would do the right thing for Jesse. "Danny used the bananas for pancakes. How about cranberry muffins? No nuts, right?" Steve knew he would win extra brownie points for remembering Charlotte's nut allergy.

"You're a dear and you make me wish that I was twenty years younger, even if you and Danny are the perfect couple. I'll be by a little after nine. See if you can put HPD off until after I get a chance to talk to Jesse."

"I can do that. Thank you Charlotte. This means a lot, and not just to Jesse."

"You're welcome Steve. See you later."

Jesse and Danny came down a few minutes later. Danny had a laundry basket full of sheets and towels. "Jesse helped me strip the beds, and he hung fresh towels in the hall bath. What are you making?"

Steve managed to clean most of the breakfast mess up while he was on the phone, and now he was standing in the pantry pulling out canisters of flour and sugar. "I'm making cranberry muffins; it's a bribe for CPD."

"Let me guess; it's Charlotte's weekend to be on call. Otherwise, you would be adding pecans or walnuts to the muffins. Is she going to help us?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure she is. Charlotte hates standard operating procedure almost as much as I do. We definitely caught a break there. She's coming over after nine." Jesse wasn't sure what was going on, but he stiffened when he heard that someone was coming to the house. He was afraid that someone would take him away from Steve and Danny. He knew that there was no reason to think that they would want him to stay, but he could hope.

Both Danny and Steve could see that Jesse was apprehensive about Charlotte's visit. Danny set the washer to start and turned to Jesse. "Hey buddy, let's go sit outside for a minute. Steve, are you coming babe?"

Steve put the measuring cup down and wiped his hands on a dish towel. "I'm right behind you." They walked toward the beach and sat in their chairs. Steve set Jesse on his lap and hugged him. He could feel the tension radiating from Jesse and immediately tried to reassure him.

"Jesse, I talked to a nice lady while you were upstairs. She's a friend who works for the state. She needs to talk to you and make sure that you're okay. Danno and I want you to stay with us. Jack will want you to stay too. We're going to talk to your aunt and see if she'll agree to let us keep you here. We'll be your family. No one can replace your mom and dad, but we'd like to be your family. Is that okay with you?"

Jesse leaned into Steve and nodded his head. "Will Jack be my brother?"

Danny leaned over to tousle Jesse's hair. "He'll insist on being your brother. And we would be your dads. That's what Steve told the lady this morning. She'll ask you what you want, and it will be okay if you decide that you want to do something else later. But we really want to help you through this, and we want you to stay here."

Jesse reached up to hug Steve's neck, and then put his arms out to Danny. Danny lifted him over to his lap and accepted his hug. Jesse was shorter than Jack and not quite as lean. He felt sturdy in Danny's arms. Danny offered a silent prayer that they would be able to make this work.

Meanwhile, Stan and Rachel were in a serious discussion at their home. Stan woke up last night when Danny called, and he was aware when Rachel left the bedroom. He assumed that Steve and Danny had a call and would drop Jack off. It didn't happen often, but he was happy to help out. Stan never forgot that Steve and Danny helped out when his marriage to Rachel was in so much jeopardy.

When Rachel didn't come back to bed after she carried Jack upstairs, Stan went in search of his wife. He found her drinking a cup of tea in the kitchen. Stan was appalled and a little guilty when Rachel told him of the tragedy at the Wright home.

"Rachel, I knew Max Wright professionally. He lost his job about six months ago. Max was always a little volatile, and I don't think he was legit in some of his dealings. I heard from Tom Carson that his wife had a reputation for drinking a little too much at parties. Rich Davenport told me that Max showed up at the country club yesterday morning trying to talk him into some big deal. They threw him out because he hadn't paid his dues in months."

"Danny called back a few minutes ago. He was following the ambulance with Steve and Jesse. He didn't think that Jesse was injured, but they needed to get checked out. I think the plan is to take him home if the hospital doesn't want to keep him overnight. Jesse is mostly Jack's friend, but Andy and Charlie have spent a lot of time with him. They will all be upset when they hear the news. I think that we should get some sleep while we can."

Rachel rinsed her cup out before putting it in the dishwasher. Stan pulled her close for a hug. "I never thought that Max would do something like this. What a nightmare! How do we explain this to the kids?"

"I think that it would be better for now if we didn't say that Max shot his wife before he killed himself. Maybe we should just say that there was a terrible accident and that Jesse's parents are dead. It will take a few days for the police to make an official determination. Making breaking the news in stages will soften it a little."

Rachel and Stan slept poorly for the remainder of the night. The boys were up early on Saturday morning. Rachel heard them whoop with delight when they discovered Jack's presence. She went in to tell them that she was fixing breakfast if they were hungry. She was getting dressed when she received Danny's text. When she called him, Rachel wasn't surprised to hear that Steve and Danny were hoping to keep Jesse with them. Danny had always loved being a father, and Steve was just a softie for kids. They were amazing fathers to Grace and Jack. They were just the pair to help Jesse through such a difficult time.

By the time that the boys finished their waffles and sausage, Stan was down for his first cup of coffee. Rachel pulled him aside to explain Steve and Danny's plan for Jesse, and that Danny asked them to tell Jack and the boys what had happened. Stan managed to get his coffee down before Rachel sat down to the breakfast table. Stan cleared the plates away before he joined them.

As simply as she could, Rachel explained that Jack was with them because Steve and Danny were called in last night. There had been an accident at Jesse's house, and Jesse called 911 to ask for Steve's help.

Jack straightened up when he heard that. "That's because Daddy always knows how to help people. Danno too. They're the best. Is Jesse okay?"

"Yes sweetheart, Jesse is fine. He made a trip to the hospital just to make sure. Your daddies stayed with him, and he's at your house now."

"Cool, can I go home now? I want to see him." Jack started to go upstairs to get dressed but Stan stopped him.

"Jack, you need to stay here a little longer. Jesse needs to talk to some people. Jack, Jesse's parents are dead. Your dads are checking to see if Jesse can stay at your house for a while. I'll take you back before lunch. Jesse is going to need us all to get through this."

The boys nodded somberly. Andy popped his thumb in his mouth while he considered the news. He was the youngest, and stress always caused him to revert to thumb-sucking. Stan pulled Andy onto his lap and gently removed his thumb from his mouth.

Jack stood and asked to be excused. When Rachel excused him, he went upstairs to get dressed. Danny told Rachel that Jack often needed time alone when he was stressed. She thought that the current situation was definitely stressful. Rachel gave him some space.

Jack went upstairs but detoured to Rachel and Stan's room. He picked up the phone and dialed Steve's cell phone. He needed to talk to his daddy. Jack knew that his Aunt Rachel hadn't told the whole story, and Jack needed the truth.

Steve just put the first batch of muffins in the oven when his cell phone rang. He saw Rachel's number on the caller ID and sighed. This couldn't be good news. "Rachel, is everything okay? How did Jack handle the news?"

There was a pause before Steve heard Jack's voice. "Daddy, I want to come home. Jesse needs me."

Well, Steve was right. This wasn't good news. "Jack, can you hang out with Charlie and Andy for a little longer. Jesse has to talk to Miss Harmon from child services so we can see if Jesse can stay with us. Is that okay with you?"

"Of course, Daddy. Jesse is another brother of my heart. He needs ohana now. Daddy, Aunt Rachel said that there was an accident at Jesse's house and that Jesse's mommy and daddy are dead. I don't understand. What kind of accident was it that only his mommy and daddy were hurt?"

Steve sighed and not for the first time wished that kids came with an instruction manual. He looked out the kitchen window and saw that Danny was sitting with Jesse down by the beach. "Jack, we think that Jesse's daddy hurt his mommy and then killed himself. And please don't say anything to Charlie or Andy."

Jack was silent for what seemed like an hour. Steve was beginning to panic when Jack finally spoke. "Does Jesse know?"

"Yes, he heard them arguing and then a gunshot. He found a phone and then hid. He called 911 for help and asked them to call me. Danno and I found him in the attic. He's not hurt, but it's a really bad time for him. He still needs to talk to HPD. Can you give us a little time, buddy? You don't need to hear Jesse talking about the bad stuff right now."

"Okay Daddy. Can you tell him I'm sorry his mommy and daddy are dead?"

"You're the best Jack."

"You too, Daddy. You and Danno are the best. Love you."

"Love you too Jack. See you soon." Steve ended the call and put the phone down. He missed his morning workout, but now was not the time to go for a run. Instead, he readied the next batch of muffins for the oven. It wasn't as satisfying as lobbing a grenade or hanging a suspect off of a roof, but Steve would settle. He felt more like Betty Crocker and less like an ex-SEAL. But it was going to be a day for comfort food, so Steve sat down with another cup of coffee and waited for the muffins to finish baking.


	3. Family Crises, Part 3

Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.

Family Crisis, Part III

Detective Singer from HPD called the McGarrett-Williams home just as the second batch of muffins came out of the oven. Steve slipped off his oven mitts and answered the phone. "McGarrett here."

"Steve, this is Sean Singer. I'm the lead investigator for the Wright case. I understand that you have Jesse Wright at your home. I thought that you would like to know that I just spoke to the boy's aunt, Max Wright's sister."

"Sean, thanks for calling. I'm relieved that you're in charge. Jesse is having a rough time, and I know that you're good with kids. Jesse is friends with Jack, and we're all very fond of him. Charlotte Harmon is coming by after nine this morning to meet with us. Danny and I want to get custody of Jesse. Can you tell me how the aunt handled the news?"

"I can tell you that she is a piece of work. She didn't seem to be too surprised to hear that her brother killed his wife and then himself. And she clearly stated that she wanted no part of raising the boy. I can't see her fighting you on custody. Tell me Steve; is it your impression that Wright would have killed the boy if he hadn't hid?"

"Yes, that's what I think. Jesse said that his father was calling for him. I know that you need to talk to him. Can you give us an hour with Charlotte before you come over? Danny and Jesse have been sitting together down by the beach for almost an hour. If I know Danny, he's probably gleaned some background about how things were at Jesse's house before all this started. Maybe he can fill in some gaps."

"That fits my schedule. Are you sure about taking in Jesse? You and Daddy have such a nice deal going with Jack and Grace. The boy is bound to be traumatized. It's going to be rough going with him."

Steve sighed and massaged his forehead. Over the years, Steve and Danny had forged friendships with many of their counterparts in HPD. Steve's social skills had improved, but it still wasn't in his nature to share. "Sean, we can't desert him now. I remember how I felt when my mom died and my dad sent Mary and me away. I was a teenager; I felt like I lost everything and nothing good would ever happen to me again. I can't let that little boy, especially one who has spent so much time here, go it alone. Danny and Jack agree with me."

"As long as you're sure, I won't say another word. He's fortunate to have you in his corner. I'll see you after ten."

Steve moved laundry around and went upstairs to make his bed with the clean sheets. Danny and Jesse came in just as he was tucking the top sheet in. "Babe, you should have called me in. I would have helped. The muffins smell amazing. Jesse thinks that maybe he should sample one before anyone gets here. I thought that maybe I should help him."

Steve smiled at the obvious ploy for a snack. It was a game they often played. "Give me a hand with the other bed and we can all have a muffin. Jesse, I think that I left my cell phone on the kitchen table. Can you get it for me?"

When Jesse left the room, Danny gave a synopsis of his talk with Jesse. "Apparently, Jesse had a pretty sad home life. His dad worked a lot of hours until he lost his job. He was pretty short-tempered all the time, and Jesse's mom gave as good as she got at least until last night. I think that they were both heavy drinkers. Jesse spent a lot of time in his room when he wasn't here. Jesse thinks that his father would have shot him if he hadn't hid. I couldn't find it in me to correct him. He really wants to stay with us."

"Sean Singer called to set up a meeting with us. He talked to the aunt; she sounds like a stone-cold bitch. Her only redeeming quality is that she doesn't want Jesse. Sean will be by after ten. Do you think Jesse will be okay talking to Charlotte and Sean?"

"I think it helps him to talk a little. They're both good with kids; I think he'll be fine. Maybe we can have Jack come home around 11:30 so he can eat lunch with us."

"Uh, I forgot to tell you. Jack called while you were outside with Jesse. I would have come out to tell you except that you and Jesse seemed to be deep in discussion. He seems a little better for it. Anyway, Jack called because he wanted to come home to help Jesse. He also didn't buy Rachel's story. She told him and the boys that there was an accident and that Jesse's parents were dead. Apparently he inherited our bullshit detector. Danny, I gave Jack a sanitized version of what happened and warned him not to tell Charlie or Andy. He accepted the news about as well as we could hope."

"Does he know that we aim to keep Jesse?"

"Yes, and he's very insistent about that too. He said that Jesse is another brother of his heart. God Danny, he's such a great kid!"

"Yeah, he's the best of us. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that he's my son, our son. It looks like we might have another son soon. I guess that it's a good thing that Stan and Rachel are paying half of Grace's tuition at U of H."

"Danny, the last thing I'm worrying about is the money. Besides, my SEAL buddy who does our investing is brilliant. It won't even cause a blip on our budget. Maybe when the dust settles, we could go to the cabin for a weekend. It's so peaceful there. If we give Jesse some quiet space, maybe he can let go of some of his grief."

"I think that's a good idea. Jesse was pretty quiet when we first went out. The longer we sat there, the more words sort of dribbled out of Jesse. At first it was just bits and pieces. Then it was the heavier stuff. Here he comes. Steve, I need a little more over on my side."

Jesse walked into Jack's room carrying Steve's phone. He was sure that the men had been talking about him. Maybe they decided that he would be too much trouble. Maybe they talked to Jack, and Jack didn't want him here all the time. Jack had such great dads. Danno sat with him by the beach like he was the only kid left in the world. And Daddy (as he always thought of him) made him feel safe. Jesse didn't think that he would ever feel safe again, but he did last night when Daddy picked him up. Jack wouldn't want to share his dads with him.

Steve crouched down to take his phone from Jesse and saw a single tear roll down his cheek. He picked Jesse up and brushed the tear away. "Hey, what's this? Are you worried about talking to Miss Harmon? She's a really nice lady, and she's just going to ask you if you want to stay with us."

Jesse couldn't help it now. He was softly crying and couldn't seem to stop. His own daddy always got mad when he cried. Now they would send him away for sure.

Steve remembered when Grace had her meltdowns and how mad she was at herself for crying. He guessed Jesse was having his own meltdown. Steve sat on the side of the bed and did his best to comfort Jesse. He patted Jesse on the back and rocked back and forth. "It's okay, son. Danno and I are going to be with you the whole time. I talked to Jack, and he'll be home a little later. He wanted to come home now, but I thought that we could use a little privacy for now."

"So you send me away before Jack gets here?"

"Send you away? Jesse, look at me." Steve tipped Jesse's head up so that he was looking at Steve. "We're not sending you away. We want to be your family. Danno and I want to be your daddies. Jack already thinks of you as a brother. We know you're having a tough time. Go ahead and cry if you need to, but don't cry because you think we're going to send you away. Do you understand?"

Jesse took his time considering Steve's words. He looked at Danno and then back to Steve. "Can I stay here forever?"

Steve smothered a laugh. "How about if this is your home as long as you want? You'll grow up and maybe have a family of your own, but this is where you can always come home to. Is that enough?"

Jesse nodded and leaned into Steve. Steve hugged him and kissed his forehead. They sat like that until the doorbell rang. Steve glanced at his watch and saw that it was a little after nine. "Danny, can you let Charlotte in and get her some coffee and a muffin? We'll be down in a minute."

When Danny went down to let their guest in, Steve stood with Jesse. "Let's go wash your face. Listen, if you need to take a break down there, just say so. Danno and I will be with you."

A few minutes later, Steve and Jesse came downstairs and into the kitchen. Charlotte Harmon was drinking coffee with Danny and enjoying a still-warm muffin. There was another cup of coffee for Steve and milk for Jesse. Steve peeled the paper off another muffin for Jesse and pulled his chair close so that he could keep physical contact with Jesse.

Charlotte could see that Jesse had been crying and that Steve was in protective mode. "Jesse, I'm Miss Harmon. I just need to ask you a few questions. I've talked to the police and I have an idea what happened last night. Detective Singer will be by in a little while and will want you to tell him what you can about that. I'm only interested how you're doing. Did you get any sleep last night? Did Commander McGarrett and Detective Williams feed you any breakfast?"

"Yes ma'am. I slept with Danno and Daddy last night. I had a bad dream, and Danno fixed me pancakes. Can I stay here?" Jesse was swinging his legs and had a milk moustache. And Lord, he had such a hopeful look on his face that it almost made Charlotte cry.

"Is that what you really want? Do you want to live here with your friend Jack and his family?"

"Uh-huh. I like it here. Nobody yells at me here, and I always got a lot of hugs even before now. And Daddy and Danno will keep me and Jack safe."

"Jesse, don't you have any other family?" Charlotte tried to be gentle in her questions, but she could see that Jesse was getting agitated. She hated this part, but she needed to make sure for Jesse's sake.

Jesse put his arms out to Steve. Steve responded by setting Jesse on his lap and hugging him. Danno moved his chair closer to Steve to add his support. "It's okay, Jesse. Miss Harmon needs the information for her files. Danno and I are right here."

Jesse sighed as if it pained him to admit the existence of family. "I have an aunt, daddy's sister. I only saw her one time. I didn't like her very much. She talked mean to me like my daddy used to. Please don't make me live with her."

"Jesse, I'll need to talk to her but don't worry too much about it. I think that's enough for now. I need to walk this muffin off. It was delicious Steve. Danny, do you want to show me the beach?" Charlotte knew what Steve wanted, and she knew what Jesse wanted. She needed to hear from Danny now.

Once outside, Charlotte turned to Danny. "I'm going to make this easy. Tell me what you know, and tell me what you want."

"I'll start with the easy part. I want to be Jesse's family. You read the police report by now. I think that Jesse would be dead if he hadn't hid. Sean Singer talked to the aunt; she doesn't want him. He had a pretty miserable home life. I'm not sure if it was ever better, but from what he told me this morning, it's been bad for a while. He's Jack's best friend, and that says a lot considering how close he is with Charlie and Andy Edwards and Kekoa Kelly. What else can I tell you?"

"I think that's enough. I can see that Jesse looks to Steve when he's really upset. Does that bother you?"

"Charlotte, I'm thankful that Steve can help him. Jack's friends and my own nieces and nephews have always adored Steve. He's Super-SEAL and little boy all rolled into one package. He loves to camp out in the backyard with the boys. He plays hide and seek so well that it's almost scary. And he knows how to make volcanoes that will dump five pounds of mud on my car. It's always my car!"

"I heard about that. Didn't that happen when Grace was still in elementary school?"

"Yes, and that was an accident. Last summer, the boys got bored one Saturday afternoon and built another one. I'm still finding pieces of 'lava' on the Camaro. But I digress. Jesse and I get along fine. He's comfortable with me too. Sometimes Steve has too much nervous energy to settle down. It's the same way with Jack. There are times that he turns to Steve, and times that he comes to me."

"I think that we can head back now. I need to use your powder room before Sean gets here. I'll recommend that we temporarily place Jesse with you and Steve on Monday. You and Steve need to petition for long-term placement pending adoption. I assume you want to adopt?"

"Yes, I think that I speak for both of us when I say that we want to adopt Jesse. It's the only way to make sure he stays with us. Do you anticipate any problem?"

"If the aunt doesn't want to be involved, then it will fall to CPS to act in Jesse's best interest. You and Steve are well-respected for your work with Five-0, and you're dedicated to your family. Plus it's always harder to place older children. It will take some time and a lot of paperwork. I'll do whatever I can to make it go smoothly."

The rest of the morning was even more difficult. Jesse had to tell the detective about his harrowing ordeal from the night before. Sean tried his best not to upset Jesse, but it was bound to happen. Danny asked Sean when they could get some of Jesse's stuff from the house. Charlotte offered to go with Sean and pick up some clothes and books for school. Charlotte and Sean left together just before eleven.

Steve was going to ask if Stan or Rachel could drop Jack off, but Danny thought that maybe Jesse would benefit from getting out of the house. It would be at least a couple of days before Max was ready to release the bodies. There was the matter of funerals to see about if the sister in Minnesota didn't want to make any decisions. Steve also needed to talk to the Governor about some time off. For now, Steve needed to see Jack, to hug him.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.

Family Crisis, Part IV

Steve had to retrieve the booster seat from his truck before they could leave to pick up Jack. Both boys were small enough to need a booster seat, and Steve and Danny were sticklers for safety. Danny was driving this morning, an indication of how distracted Steve was.

"Earth to Steven. Do you think that you can call Rachel and let her know that we're on the way?" Danny knew that Rachel would warn to boys to give Jesse a little space. Sure enough, only Stan met them at the front door.

"Hi guys. Hi Jesse. Listen, I'm really sorry about your mom and dad. I hear that you're going to stay with Steve, Danny, and Jack. That means you'll be over here a lot too. Rachel and I want you to know that you're always welcome here. You're part of our family too now."

Steve and Danny were both a little surprised by Stan's speech. He normally wasn't that talkative unless he was making a presentation or trying to sell an idea. It meant a lot to them to know that Stan and Rachel were backing them since they sometimes watched Jack for them.

Jesse was too stunned now to answer. He hadn't thought about how close Jack and his family were to the Edwards family. For the first time since the trouble started at his house last night, Jesse was hopeful that he might have a normal life.

"Rachel has the boys in the back. Jack's p.j.'s are in the bag by the door. He's out of fresh clothes here by the way. I'll go get Jack." Stan started to go to the family room but was startled when Jesse spoke.

"Can I go play with Jack and Charlie and Andy?" Jesse looked up expectantly at Steve and Danny.

Steve wasn't sure what to say and punted to Danny. "I don't know. Do we have a couple of minutes to spare, Danny?"

This was one of those times when Danny had the clearer head. It had occurred to him that Jesse might want to spend a little time with the boys. Danny knew it had to happen sometime, and he knew that Jack would be careful with Jesse. He decided that now was as good a time as any to give it a shot.

"I don't think that we're one a strict timetable today. Go ahead." Danny waved Jesse on before he turned to Stan. "Thanks, I was pretty sure that we could count on you and Rachel. One of the items on our 'To Do' list is to talk to the people who help us with Jack to make sure that they would be willing to help with Jesse too."

"Danny, you and Steve helped Rachel and me when we had no reason to expect your help. The way that you are with Andy and Charlie has made such a difference. I knew Max Wright. I feel guilty that none of us anticipated anything like this. Rachel and I were talking; we'd like to set up a trust fund for Jesse. I'm pretty sure there will be nothing left of the estate."

Steve put his hand up to stop Stan. "Stan, there's no reason for you to feel guilty. You had no way of knowing what Wright would do. And thanks for your offer, but Danny and I can talk care of Jesse's needs."

"Steve, I know that you and Danny are more than capable of taking care of Jesse. It's just that when he gets older, we want him to know that other people care about him too. I'm sure that a few others will want to contribute too."

It still didn't sit too well with Steve, but he let it drop. Besides, he needed to see if Jesse was doing okay and he needed to hug Jack. Steve and Danny followed Stan to the family room. They weren't surprised to see Jack sitting next to Jesse with his arm around him. Charlie and Andy were dismantling an elaborate castle made of big building blocks.

Jack saw Steve and Danny come in behind Stan. "Come on Jesse; let's go ask Daddy and Danno. I'm sure it will be okay."

Steve closed the distance and crouched down to hug Jack and Jesse. Before he could say anything, Jack piped up. "Daddy, Charlie and Andy need to come home with us to help Jesse play. He's finished talking to everybody, isn't he? We want to go by Kamekona's shrimp truck for lunch, and then we can play on the beach. Maybe we can have a cookout for supper, and we can have smores. Tonight we can camp out in the living room."

Rachel tried to bail Steve out. "Jack, it's probably not a good time for Charlie and Andy to come over today."

"Yes it is, Aunt Rachel. Jesse needs his brothers with him. Daddy, tell her that Jesse needs his ohana with him." Jack looked from Steve to Rachel and back to Steve. Charlie and Andy flanked Jack and Jesse now, linking arms with them.

"Yeah Mommy, we need to help him play this afternoon. It's important." Charlie was the spokesperson for their family, and he was determined that he and Andy got to do their part in helping Jesse.

Danny decided it was time to join the discussion. He could see that Steve had no clue what to say. "I think that's a great idea. The only problem is that we have the Camaro. Rachel, why don't you and Stan join us for lunch, our treat? Then you can drop the boys over at the house. Steve, do we still have clean clothes at the house for Charlie and Andy?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure we do. You boys finish picking up your toys. We'll be in the kitchen when you're finished."

The adults convened to the kitchen. Rachel started to apologize. "Danny, Steve, I'm sorry. I know the boys were having a discussion about something, but I didn't know this was what they were up to."

Danny waved her off. "It's okay, Rachel. I think the boys are on to something. Steve and I have spent the last several hours trying to convince Jesse that we want him to be part of the family. I think that knowing that the boys accept him into their brotherhood will show him more than anything. Jesse probably needs to blow off some steam, and I know that Steve's going to explode pretty soon if he doesn't get to go for a swim or something pretty soon."

"Danno, I'm fine." Steve started to argue the point until he saw the smile on Danny's face.

"Of course you are, babe. Rachel, you and Stan don't mind joining us for lunch and loaning us the boys for a while?"

"Of course not. If the boys are staying over, then Stan and I can have a quiet dinner. Are you sure that you're up to having four boys tonight? I don't imagine that you got much sleep last night."

"I'm hoping that being with his brothers will inject a little normalcy into the situation. Besides, they'll be so tired when Steve finishes with them that they will go down early. He's a little scary when he calls for lights out."

Before Steve could object, the boys joined them in the kitchen. Jack and Jesse discussed what they wanted to do that afternoon on the way to lunch. Kamekona was manning the shrimp truck today, and he greeted his friends.

"If it isn't my favorite haoles. I see your family is growing. Little Jesse, please accept my condolences for your loss. Are you sure that you want to join up with these guys?"

It never failed to amaze Steve and Danny how quickly news spread around the island, and how Kamekona was always the first to know. Steve tensed, worried about Jesse reaction. He put his hand on Jesse's shoulder in a show of support.

Jesse looked up at Kamekona and smiled. "Thanks. I'm sure. They're my ohana now."

Kamekona gave Jesse a toothy grin. "Then it's okay brah. Your meal is on the house. It's a special introductory offer for a new McGarrett-Williams. The rest of you haoles have to pay."

Steve mouthed a 'thank you' to Kamekona and placed their order, making sure to mention that Danny was paying the bill, including for the Edwards meals. The boys sat together, giving the grownups a chance to compare notes.

Rachel was the first to offer her opinion. "Danny, I think you are correct about the boys helping Jesse through this. And Stan and I think that you are doing a wonderful thing for Jesse. You are amazing fathers, and he's a very lucky little boy to be a part of your family. Of course, he's part of our family now."

"Thanks, Rachel. That means a lot. Jack indicated a few weeks ago that Jesse's home situation wasn't good. We were having the 'do I have a mommy' discussion. He told Steve that Jesse wished his mom and dad treated each other nice the way the Steve and I do. He said their fighting made Jesse's tummy hurt."

"I meant to check on the situation, but we were really slammed at Five-0. I should have made the time." Now that Steve had a few minutes to sit, guilt was setting in.

"Steve, you said it wasn't my fault, and I knew that Max was volatile. I didn't know that he was so close to the edge, but I knew his financial situation was precarious. We can't turn back time, but we can ensure Jesse's future. We're with you on this."

Steve's cell phone rang, indicating an incoming call from Chin. He and Malia just heard the news and called in concern. Steve assured them that the situation was under control for now, although Steve and Danny would probably not be in this week. Chin expected as much and offered to pass the news on to Kono.

Steve knew his next call needed to be to the governor, who had not heard the news. He was surprised to hear that Steve and Danny were taking in young Jesse, but he agreed to give the men time off to take care of urgent matters. Ever the politician, he realized that the news would reflect well on the team as well as his administration.

While Steve talking to the governor, Charlotte left a voice mail telling Steve that she put Jesse's clothes and personal items around the back of the house on the lanai. She promised to call Steve late Monday with an update on custody. Steve saw that everyone was moving toward their cars. It was time to move the games to their house.

The boys were quiet in the back seat on the way home. They perked up when Danny pulled in the driveway. Charlie and Andy spilled out of the Edwards COV. Danny went over to set up a tentative time for them to retrieve their sons in the morning.

Rachel couldn't resist teasing Danny. "Daniel, you realize that you're going to need a larger vehicle to carry all four boys. They won't even fit in Steve's truck."

"Thanks Rachel. It's nice to see that you still know how to wound me." Danny put his hand over his heart in mock distress. Danny had the same thought during breakfast this morning.

"Sorry Danny, I know how you love your Camaro. Shall we pick the boys up sometime between ten and eleven in the morning?"

"Thanks, that would be great. See you in the morning." By the time that Danny turned around, Steve and boys had disappeared into the house leaving the door wide open. "He's still a Neanderthal," was all Danny could say. He could hear the boys chattering upstairs as they changed into their suits. Danny found Steve in their room changing his clothes.

"Charlotte left Jesse's stuff on the lanai while we were gone, so he's got a suit. Can you handle the boys for a while so I can take my swim? I'll cut it short, but I need to take the edge off a little. I'll make it up to you tonight when the boys go down."

Danny laughed and waved Steve out. "Just go. Like we can do anything with four boys camped out downstairs. Tell the boys to wait for me."

The boys were romping in the surf when Steve made it back to shore. Danny was supervising from the shore, but Steve could see that he had been in the water for a while. Steve dove back under the water so that he could sneak up on the boys.

For the next hour, Steve played with the boys. By the time everyone went ashore, Steve was much more in control of his ADHD and ODC. Steve and Danno oversaw showers and settled the boys downstairs to watch a movie. The men quickly showered and went down to watch the movie. The boys were lined up on the floor engrossed with the show.

Steve went into the kitchen to gather some refreshments. A few minutes later, he came out with water and popcorn. He received a chorus of thanks from the boys and Danny. Danny was sitting in the recliner with his feet up, a sign that his knee was bothering him. Steve opted to join the boys on the floor; he sat with his back to the couch. In minutes, he had four boys lounging around him. Steve made sure to give some affection to every boy; it was a brief respite from the pressure of parental duties.

Several hours later, Steve and Danny crawled into bed. Both were too exhausted to do more than curl around each other. Steve left a monitor downstairs in case the boys needed them, but he suspected that they would sleep through the night. Jack, Charlie, and Andy had stayed close to Jesse throughout the day, leaving no doubt in Jesse's mind that he was with family.


	5. Family Crisis, Part 5

Disclaimer: Ideas are fictional; not making any money on this. Hawaii 5-0 belongs to CBS. That's okay because none of this would work on TV.

Family Crisis, Part V

Jesse had been with his new family for almost a week, and Steve and Danny could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. Their attorney gave them the name of a family law specialist who already filed the petition for long-term custody of Jesse. Jesse's parents were laid to rest on Thursday with a simple graveside service.

Jack stayed out of school for a couple of days, but Jesse spent the week at home. CPS made their initial home visitation which the men passed with flying colors. The family made their first visit to the counselor who helped them when Grace was traumatized from her kidnapping. Although Grace was busy with classes, she took a break to go to the service with her family and stayed for dinner and an overnight stay.

When the boys were in bed that night, Steve and Danny sat down to talk to Grace. Danny took the lead in the conversation. "Grace, we've been in crisis mode all week. We should have talked to you about our decision to bring Jesse into the family."

"If I objected, would you change your mind?"

"No, but we still should have talked to you. Do you have a problem with it?" Danny was surprised at Grace's question.

"Of course not. I remember when you told me that you were having a baby. You explained that it didn't mean that you would love me less, that there is no limit on how much love you can give. I'm proud of you for stepping forward to take care of Jesse. I think that Jack has been lonely since I've been gone so much. Now he has a brother, and this one is already potty-trained." Grace went to Steve and Danny and gave them a group hug.

On Friday morning, Steve and Danny picked up a SUV big enough to carry all five boys (including Kekoa), Drexel the dog, and whatever gear they might have. Much to Danny's delight, Steve gave up his truck for trade-in. They decided to break their new SUV in by taking it to the cabin for the weekend. It was Jesse's first time to go to the cabin, and he loved it there. They fished, hiked, and swam. They had BBQ the first night, and freshly caught fish the next night. For the first time, Jesse slept all night without any bad dreams.

Steve and Danny sat on the porch swing that Saturday night and tried to think what came next. "I guess that we'll have to add another bunk bed here for when the other three boys join us. I'd like to add on to the cabin after the first of the year. We can add a bedroom and attached bath with a bigger shower for us. We can keep our room as is in case Chin and Malia or Stan and Rachel want to come up."

Danny thought of Rachel 'roughing' it at the cabin and started laughing. "Wait a minute babe. I'm trying to picture it. Rachel's idea of roughing it is no room service. I realize that we have the basic amenities, but I just can't see it. But thanks really for the best laugh I've had all week."

"Now Danny, you have to admit that Rachel has changed a lot over the last few years. Stan mentioned that he and Rachel were interested in seeing the cabin last month after the last time we brought Charlie and Andy."

"Well, I'll believe it when I see it. I love the idea of a bigger bathroom. Maybe the plumber can spruce up the old bathroom too. Getting back to more immediate issues, do you think that Jesse will be okay at school on Monday?"

"I don't know Danny. He has to go back sometime. I spoke to the principal yesterday, and she told me that the school counselors talked to Jesse and Jack's class early in the week. Jack told me that some of the kids asked him about Jesse, and he made sure they knew that Jesse was with us now. He told me that when they got too pushy, he gave them the SEAL death glare. And what were you thinking telling our son that I have a death glare?"

"I didn't mean too. I was telling him how you stopped our suspects in the Milam case. I guess that it just came out. It's not like he hasn't been on the receiving end of your glare. I just put a name to it."

"Well just don't blame me if he wants a tattoo when he turns ten. But we really need to be careful around the boys. I heard them playing down by the lake this afternoon. They were calling it 'The Steve and Danno Show.' Jack pretends that he's me and Jesse pretends that he's you. Jesse was ranting at Jack about not waiting for backup. Then Jack told him it was okay because he had his hand grenades with him. You probably don't want to know any more."

"Please tell me that you're joking."

"Actually it was pretty funny. They nailed us. I was going to interrupt but the boys were laughing so hard. At that point, I didn't have the heart to stop them. At least it was good to know that Jesse could differentiate between the fighting between his parents and what goes on between us."

"I don't think that there was much love between them. That's what makes us different. What else do we need to worry about? We're going back after breakfast tomorrow so that we can make it to the cookout at Kono's. She and Finn wanted to officially welcome Jesse to the Five-0 family. The rest of the team will be there. Apparently, they had a meeting in our absence. Unless we get a hot case, you and I will be leaving on time while Jesse settles in. Chin will fill in if there is an emergency. Everyone knows what to do, and you and I are superfluous."

"They really are the best, aren't they? I worried for a while that adding to the team would make us less effective. I don't think that it has. We all work together, and everyone ends up putting in less overtime. We're only on call once a month."

"By the way, I talked to Mom and Dad before we left yesterday. You and the boys were busy checking out the new wheels so I didn't have the heart to call you in. They remembered Jesse from their vacation last February. Mom asked if we would consider coming in over the Christmas break. She wants Jesse to meet the rest of his new family."

"We can do that. I want to spend Christmas day at home, but we can fly out the day after. He'll love your family. Except for his friendship with Jack and the time he spent with us, I think Jesse had a pretty lonely life. He had no family except for his parents. He spent most of his time at home in his room."

"When you say it out loud, he sounds like you when we first met. I don't think that I ever knew anyone so alone. What frustrated me is that you obviously cared about people. You brought Chin on the team despite the accusations against him. You gave me that weekend at the resort so that Grace could swim with the dolphins, and that was before you even met her. Then you had the governor threaten to shut down Stan's project if Rachel didn't drop the visitation suit."

"I told you that I can neither confirm nor deny that. It was one of the few good things that Jameson did. You know, I tried to keep my distance with you, but you just kept getting in my face. I wavered between wanting to hit you or kiss you."

"I'm glad that you finally decided to kiss me, although if memory serves me well I kissed you first."

"Yes, you did. But I was the first to say 'I love you'."

"Okay, you've got me on that one. But it was Grace who got us in the same bed. I can still remember the look on your face when she asked why we weren't in the sharing a room."

"I remember that afternoon when I walked into the bathroom when you were just coming out of the shower. It was the first time I saw you naked."

"You were the one who was going commando. You never did tell me if you were like that all day or just to wash the cars. I got to see you naked that afternoon too."

"Nope, and I'm not going to tell you now. I like to remain a man of mystery."

"The only mystery tonight is why are we swinging on the porch and not in bed. The boys are asleep. I was hoping that we could have quality time."

"That sounds like an excellent idea. After you, Danno."

The cookout at Kono's home was perfect. The food was kid friendly, and every member of their Five-0 ohana made a point of welcoming Jesse to the family. Kono even promised to teach Jesse how to surf. Jack was already fairly proficient at the sport, and Jesse was anxious to become more competent in the water.

Monday came way too early for Steve and Danny. It would take a little time to fit getting another little boy ready for school. Both men were also worried about Jesse's first day back at school. Although they usually let Jack off in front of the school, they agreed that it would be a nice show of family solidarity to walk the boys to the classroom. They also spoke to Miss O'Hara to make sure that she knew the men would be available if there were any problems.

"Commander McGarrett, Detective Williams, your reputation precedes you. I would never hesitate to call you. Frankly, I was a little intimidated when I saw Jack's name on my class roster. The other teachers told me that I would be lucky if all the parents were as conscientious as you. I want you to know that we had a class discussion when he heard about Jesse's parents. We talked about how Jesse must be feeling and how brave and smart he was to call the police. I think that the children will be as sensitive as we can expect from second graders."

Steve and Danny thanked Miss O'Hara and waved goodbye to the boys. Danny kept a close eye on Steve all day. He had a full in-basket of forms and reports to approve. It was also time for Steve to start working on next year's budget. Both tasks put Steve on edge under the best of circumstances. By noon, the rest of the team was ready to send him home.

Instead, Chin suggested some time in the gym. Even in his forties, Steve was still the best at hand-to-hand combat. But even Steve couldn't top Kono's roundhouse kick. Some other HPD officers were working out, and soon Five-0 was putting on a demonstration for some of the rookies. After a shower and some lunch, Steve settled down a little for the afternoon.

Rachel was picking up the boys after school. She also invited Steve and Danny to stay for dinner. Grace promised to come over from campus to join them. It was late when they finally made it home. Steve supervised showers while Danny packed lunches. It gave him the opportunity to hear how the day went for Jesse and Jack.

Surprisingly, the day was okay for them. Miss O'Hara welcomed Jesse back to class before starting their reading assignment. She personally supervised the class on the playground but saw nothing that made her think that she should intervene. There was some conversation, but the kids mostly were absorbed by their soccer game.

Steve and Danny continued nightly story time from when Grace was younger. Even when Jack was too young to understand the stories, they read to him. During the first week that Jesse was with them, they decided to move story time to the bigger bed in their room so that there would be enough room for both boys. The boys naturally cuddled around their dads to follow along in the book, and the physical contact settled them down for the night.

After that first day back, the family settled into a routine. It was mostly the same as before, except that there were two boys to love, and two boys who loved them right back. The family made a trip to the kid's furniture store to pick out twin beds to replace the double bed in Jack and Jesse's room. Steve insisted that they buy the longer beds like the ones in dorm rooms. He expected that Jack would be tall when he reached full growth, and he didn't want him to hang off the foot of the bed. Steve had that pleasure more than once, and he didn't care to inflict that on his son.

The rest of the year flew by. Thanksgiving was a huge celebration. Earlier in the week, Steve and Danny were officially awarded long-term custody of Jesse; they expected the final adoption to be approved by the end of the school year. Kono and Finn graciously insisted on having the meal at their home as long as Steve and Danny made the pies and their wonderful bread.

By this time, Jesse was more acclimated to the change in his daily life. He still suffered from the occasional nightmare, but they grew more infrequent as time went by. Jesse was more secure in his place with his new family. The family counselor thought that Jesse would recover from the trauma of his parents' death. He showed a lot of progress in the short time that since the tragedy.

The addition of another child in the household complicated their routine, but both Steve and Danny thought that it was very worthwhile and not just for Jesse's sake. Once Grace reached her teens, she spent less time with her family and more time with her friends. Both sets of parents made sure that school was her top priority and that that she wasn't out partying with some of the wilder kids at school, but it still meant that Jack was more of an only child.

Certainly Charlie, Andy, and Kekoa mitigated that somewhat, but Jack was seemed a little lonely and at loose ends sometimes during weekends and holidays. Jesse seemed to fill some of the holes in Jack's life, and the McGarrett-Williams family filled the huge gap left in Jesse's life. Miss O'Hara reported that Jesse's school work showed significant improvement under Steve and Danny's care. Jack also was getting a better handle on his ADHD during school hours.

Jesse joined in their annual tradition of putting up Christmas decorations, including the tree, on the weekend after Thanksgiving. The newest generation of Kelly cousin helpers assisted with the outside lights while the family worked on the inside decorations. When the work was finished, the family made a special trip to the Christmas barn to pick up a special ornament for Jesse. Then they ate supper at Jesse's favorite Japanese restaurant; he loved to watch the chef slice and dice their meal on the grill at their table.

Steve and Danny timed it so that all the lights were on when they returned home. Jesse was out of the Camaro almost before Danny could fold the front seat down. He was jumping on the front lawn with excitement. Jack joined him, and they raced around to the back to see the white lights that decorated the back yard. Steve and Danny surveyed the house with their arms around each other.

"It looks good, doesn't it Danno?"

"Yes it does. I have no idea what to get you and Jack for Christmas. I don't think that I can top Jesse."

Steve laughed, his heart lighter than he ever thought possible. Who knew that they would have another son, that Jack would have a brother? Danny was right; anything else would be a bonus.

"That goes for you too Danny. I guess that I can cancel the trip I was planning as a family Christmas gift."

"What trip? Why am I just hearing about it?"

"I just received confirmation on Wednesday. Instead of your parents coming here for their winter vacation, we're meeting in Florida. Danny, we're all going to Disney World. Your mom and dad will meet us, and Grace is coming with us too. She has the same week off school as Jack. It's okay, isn't it?"

"Of course it is, you big goof. I always wanted to take the kids there, but I was afraid that you would attack the pirates of the Caribbean. It's going to be a great holiday, isn't it."

Steve pulled Danny closer and gave him a soft kiss. "It has been since you and Grace became part of my life, and it's only gotten better every year. We have two sons now, and our extended Five-O ohana. I'd say that it going to be the perfect holiday."

_This is the end of "Family Crisis". Coming soon is "Family Christmas". Hope everyone comes back for the celebration. _


End file.
